Keep the kids moving
Start as you mean to go on when it comes to getting little ones active, suggests IAN DIXON
CTIVE kids grow up into active adults and I believe that the best way to give our children a chance for a healthy future is to instil a positive attitude towards food and exercise from a young age.
But a recent study by the University of Bristol, which suggests children’s activity levels decline throughout primary school, has worried me.
The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation, found that despite getting stronger and more physically able, children are spending less time being active as they age.
And we’re not talking insignificant amounts here. The study found that 61% of children in Year One did at least an hour of moderate to vigorous activity a day, but by Year Six, only 41% achieved this target.
The annoying thing is our kids are starting out pretty well, so it’s not about getting them to do more, but to maintain the activity levels they start with.
GET OFF TO A GOOD START
GOVERNMENT guidelines say that children aged between five and 18 should spend at least an hour a day doing moderate to vigorous activity.
That’s anything that makes them breathe faster and feel warmer, such as riding a bike, dancing, climbing trees, swimming, playing football or PE classes.
Walking, scooting or cycling to and from school will immediately increase your child’s chances of staying active (as well as doing you good, too). Start off just once a week, or even walk just part of the journey.
After school clubs are also great at encouraging kids to run around and blow off steam after sitting at desks all day.
School sports teams are a fantastic way of getting in regular exercise. Getting into a routine at a young age means kids are more likely to continue throughout high school and even into adulthood.
If your kids prefer activities which are less energetic, perhaps you could walk together? Or find a creative way of incorporating some movement into their hobby? For example, if they love playing with Lego, perhaps encourage them to act out the stories around the things they are building.
TAKE ON A CHALLENGE
THE study was completed by monitoring children wearing devices to measure their movement, which could be the key to getting older kids enthused about how much activity they do.
Fitness trackers or apps are a great way for the whole family to get involved in moving more each day. Adding in a little bit of family competition can spur you all on to do a bit more than you usually would.
To keep it interesting why not have prizes for hitting a certain number of minutes of activity achieved a week?
These don’t need to cost anything, try using earned privileges such as choosing which film to watch at the weekend.
Rewarding kids for keeping active will build positive, tangible associations between activity and outcomes.
You can buy a low-budget step counter to keep an eye on your steps, or pay a little more for a digital fitness tracker which will enable you to monitor and compete with each other.
Most smartphones now include basic step trackers, or you can download step and activity tracking apps.
WORK UP TO THE WEEKEND
THE study also found that activity levels dropped at the weekend. Six-year-olds managed an average of 66 minutes of activity over the two-day break, but this dropped to around 53 minutes for 11-year-olds.
After a busy week at school and work, it’s understandable that we want to spend an evening on the couch or have a lie in – especially when it’s cold, wet and dark outside. But we all have more time to spare at the weekend, so it’s actually a great time for the whole family to get active together.
Turning family events into an activity, such as taking part in a group bike ride or walking to the grandparents’ instead of piling in the car, will help you form good exercise routines that can continue for years to come.
THIS GIRL CAN
ACCORDING to the research, girls are generally less active than boys and, over time, the gap between the sexes widens.
Six-year-old girls were found to be doing 9.9 minutes less activity each day compared to boys.
And, by age 11, the gap had increased to almost 15 minutes less activity daily.
A lot is being done to make exercise more accessible to girls and women – as well as addressing barriers such as confidence, male dominance and safety.
It’s worth checking out your local leisure centre’s website to see what classes and clubs it offers – and suggesting things you’d like to see if they don’t.
If your kids are active now, you can rest assured that they are building strong bones and healthy hearts. But if you want to ensure they grow into healthy adults, don’t let standards slip.
To keep up the good work, try these simple steps:
■ Build positive associations
■ Get into a routine
■ Find something you like doing
■ Be supportive
■ Have fun